COL 180607
Harassment/ Assassination
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.
Description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source, and by Antenna International, member organisation of the SOS-Torture network, about the assassination of Mr. Andres Julian Melan, 27-year-old, son of the union leader of the company Textiles Rionegro, Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona, in the municipality of Rionegro, Department of Antioch, at his home in the same city.
According to the information received, in the morning of 6 June 2007, a group of armed criminals attacked Mr. Melan Cardona’s family in their own house, assassinated his son, mentioned above, and seriously hurt his wife, Ms. Luz Angela Velazques, and his other son, whose name has not been provided.
According to the denunciations, Mr. Melan Cardona, who is a defender of the implementation of the process of unionization in the whole Colombian textile sector, process lead by Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia (CUT), had already received threats against his life.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned that, whereas in the last days of the 96th International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO), businessmen and the government achieved not to classify Columbia as part of the group of countries that most violate labour laws and human rights, threats and harassment become more common every day, including assassination of union leaders everywhere in the country.
In this regard, OMCT has received information about the assassination of Mr. John Jairo Arcila Grapevine, leader of the community and the craftsmen, also political leader, that happened on 5 June 2007, in the city of Armenia, Department of Quindio. According to the information, Mr. John Jairo Arcila Grapevine would have denunciated the alleged corruption of members of the municipal administration in the popular commercial district, where are the ambulant sellers he supervises.
OMCT condemns these serious violence, especially the assassination of Mr. Andres Julian Melan and is gravely concerned about the safety and the physical and psychological integrity of all the members of the family of Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona and his wife, Luz Angela Velazques, as well as all the unionized workers in the Department of Antioch, especially in East antioqueno.
Actions requested
Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. Take immediate measures to guarantee the safety and the physical and psychological integrity of all the members of the family of Mr. Hernando Melan Cardona and his wife, Luz Angela Velazques, as well as that of all the unionized workers in the Department of Antioch;
ii. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the murders of Mr. Andres Julian Melan and Mr. John Jairo Arcila Parra, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to the families of Mr. Andres Julian Melan and Mr. John Jairo Arcila Parra;
iv. Follow through with the recommendations made by the international and regional human rights organisations, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights;
v. Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
・ Mision Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra. Chemin du Champ d’Anier, 17-19, 1209 Ginebra, Suiza. FAX: + 41.22.791.07.87; Tel.:+41.22.798.45.55. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Mision Diplomatica en Bruselas: FAX: +32.2.646.54.91, E-mail: colombia@emcolbru.be
S.E.Alvaro Uribe Velez, Presidente de la Republica, Carrera 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Narino, Santa Fe de Bogota. Fax: +57.1.566.20.71 E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co
Mr. Francisco Santos, Vicepresidente de la Republica, Tels.:+571334.45.07,+573.7720130,
Please also write to the embassies of Columbia in your respective countries.
Geneva, 18 June 2007
